DVD Review: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button — The Criterion Collection”

Rating: 83

David Fincher’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” makes its greatest statement about the human experience through its perplexing, difficult title character. While one of the chief criticisms of “Benjamin Button” was that Brad Pitt’s Benjamin was a cipher, the story was about a man separated from the rest of humanity by his born-ancient, aging backward condition. He could not relate to most people’s sense of mortality, but was forced to stand apart as everyone around him grew up, grew old and died. Being an observer in a world running in the opposite direction was the only tenable option.

This Criterion Collection edition maintains the impeccable standards of the series, featuring a magnificent digital transfer and Fincher’s audio commentary on one disc. The second disc is filled with copious interviews and technical documentaries, including discussions with Pitt and co-star Cate Blanchett and detailed explorations of visual effects, makeup, costuming, and Fincher’s on-set creative process. If sometimes it feels that the technological issues are given too close an examination in this collection, the groundbreaking effects that allowed Pitt to grow young in “Button” made the film possible after nearly two decades in development.